Cross-hung self-balancing sluice or valve gate.



G. LARSON.

GROSS HUNG SELF BALANGING SLUIGE 0R VALVE GATE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 23, 1912.

1,0?5,428. Q Patented 0011.14, 1913.

2 BHEETSSHEET l coLUM B|A PLANOdRAFH CO.,WASHINU'I'ON, n. c.

G. LARSON.

(moss HUNG SELF BALANCING SLUIOE OR VALVE GATE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.23, 1912.

Patented Oct. 14, 1913.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

' Invenibr:

UNTTE S ans AT NT FMQE.

GUSTAVE LARSON, or streams AIBES, ARGENTINA;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented et.1l4,1913;

Application filed March 23, 1912. Serial No. 685,830.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GUsTAvn LARSON, a subject of the Kingdom of Sweden, residing in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, have invented a new and useful Cross-Hung Self- Balancing Sluice or Valve Gate, of which the following is a specification.

This invention refers to automatic sluice gates of the kind which open by the pressure of the water or liquid andclose by their own gravity.

Automatic sluice gates such as have been utilized heretofore have generally been of a somewhat cumbersome and expensive construction, and the object of the present invention is to provide a simple, durable, ethcient and economical device of this character which may be applied for the purpose of causing the sluice gate to .open and allow the water to flow freely when the latter reaches a certain predetermined level or height, and to close when it falls below such level or height, both operations being auto matically effected without any attention whatever.

Another object of the invention is that of providing an automatic valve or gate which shall open automatically to allow the water to flow freely in one direction, and close so as to prevent the flow of the water in the other direction, the principle of the hang ing of gates for the tWO uses being identical, the ,sole variation being a change in the points .of support.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out inthe claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like characters represent like parts in all the figures:Figure 1 is a diagram showing the preferred manner of connecting the gate in order that it will open automatically for a given water level and close for a slightly lower level, both hanging rods being on the down-stream side of the gate. Fig. 2- is a similar view of a gate mounted for the same purpose as that shown in Fig. 1, but with the base pivot blocks of the bars adjustably mounted on arcuate guideways so that the relative position of the connecting bars may be changed to suit conditions. Fig. 3- shows the preferred form of mounting the I gate for permitting the flow in one direction but not in the other. Fig. 4 shows a modified form of mounting the gate for the same purpose as that shown in Fig. 1, one connecting bar being disposed on the down stream side of the gate and the other connecting bar .011 the up-s'tream side. The arrow indicates the direction of flow, and the gate and rods, when the gate is open, assume the position shown in the dotted lines. Fig. 5 shows another modified form of arranging the connecting bars in mounting the gate for the same purpose as that shown in Fig. 1, the arrow indicating the direction of flow of the water, and the gate and rods when open assume the position shown by the dotted lines. Fig. 6 shows another modified form of mounting the gate for the same purpose as that shown in Fig. 1. In this modification both rods have their base pivot blocks mounted on thedown stream side in an overhead position. 'When the gate is open the rods and gate assume the positions indicated by the dotted lines. The direction of flow of the water is indicated by the arrow. Fig. 7 shows a modified form of mounting ,the gate for the same purpose as that shown in Fig. 3 the connecting bars being arranged on ,opposite sides ,of the gate. The open position of the gate is indicated by the dotted lines and the normal direction of flow of the water is indicated by the arrow. Fig. ,8 shows a modified form of mounting the gate for the same purpose as that shown in Fig. 3 but having the connecting bars arranged on opposite sides of the gate and the base pivot block of one bar mounted overhead and the base pivot block of the other bar mounted below. The gate when open assumes the position shown by the dotted lines. The normal direction of flow is indicated by the arrow. Fig. 9 is an elevation of the dam, looking from the down stream side, and showing the manner of placing several sets .of hangings in the simplest form. Fig. 10. is a similar view showing the manner of making one of the connecting or supporting rods in theform of an angular brace.

Referring .to Fig. l, in which the effect to be produced, as above stated, is that of opening the gate at a given level and closing it at a slightly lower level, A represents the gate, B a fixed pivotal point on the floor for one of the rods; D a fixed pivotal .point on the floor for the other rod of the set; E and C the pivotal. points on the gate, the rods, therefore, .beingrespectively represented by i the expressions B-G, and The rod BC swings on the pivot B and the rod DE on the pivot D. When the rod BC swings, all polnts on it move in a direction perpendicular to its position, and in like manner in the case of DE, all points of which move perpendicularly to its temporary position. WVith F as a center of rota tion, E and C also move perpendicularly to DE and B-C respectively. It, therefore, follows that the crossing point of the rods is always the center of rotation for the gate, the center of gravity of which is at G. The position of the various parts when the gate is closed is represented by full lines and when open by dotted lines. With F, as pole, we obtain Closing moment (weight of gate) X (horizontal projection of G F) Opening moment (water pressure) (height of resultant of water pressure above F).

As the gate opens, the center of gravity G of the gate and also the crossing point F of the rods, both move to the right with reference to Fig. 1, but F will always project farther to the right than F, as seen from said figure. Hence-the weight will for all possible positions of gate produce a moment tending to close the same. H is a chain for limiting the extent of opening. J is a sill for determining closed position. It is, therefore, evident that the above construct-ion, proportioned and designed for the individual conditions of each case, will operate automatically. The rods may be adjustably mounted as indicated in Fig. 2; that isthe pivotal points can be set in guides K and Kcurved to a radius equal to the length of the corresponding rod, thus allowing adjustment without changing the actual lengths of the connecting bars BC and ED, for by sliding the pivot blocks in the curved guides their relative positions and angles may be changed to suit the various conditions under which it may be desired to have the gate open or close.

In the form of construction described above, the advantages obtained are: (1) that no counter-weights are needed; (2) that the gate is held rigidly by the rods; (3) that the supporting points rest above the floor line; (4) that the friction losses are reduced to a minimum, and (5) that the pressure of the water against the gate causes the gate to press tightly against the sill piece, thereby aiding in producing a tight joint.

Referring to Fig. 3- the gate is hung in such a manner that the crossing point of the supporting rods is about level with the top of the gate and only slightly to the right of the vertical center line of gravity of the gate, that distance being marked m in this figure. The rods are so designed that m is practically constant for all possiscribed may be applied to gates of large dimensions by repeating the number of sets of the devices described. The form of the gate itself is not shown in the drawings, as it may be of any preferred construction, the invention residing purely in the manner of hanging the same.

In the form of construction herein described, which is the preferred one, it is understood that the relative position of the pivotal points may be changed to suit the conditions of each case, and that the invention should be considered liberally as covering any variation which might be produced in the relative positions of the rods and of their pivotal points, such possible variation being practically indefinite. In like manner the form of the rods is subject to variation, as they may either be straight, curved or angular in form, to suit the varying conditions and to reinforce the construction. The supports when suspended from above may also be chains or cables in place of rods.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed is 1. In a sluice gate structure, the combination of a sluice way provided with a gate abutment, a sluice gate, rods on the down stream side of the gate disposed in crossed relation and having their ends pivotally connected with the gate, and pivotal mountings for the remaining ends of the rods adapted to be fixed in a given position, the crossing or point of intersection of said rods being at all times below the center of gravity of said gate, substantially as described. V

2. In a sluice gate structure, the combination of a sluice way provided with a gate abutment, a sluice gate, rods on the down stream sides of the gate and disposed in cross relation and having their ends pivotally connected with the gate, and pivotal mountings for the remaining ends of the rods adapted to be fixed in a given position,

mountings for the remaining ends of the In testimony whereof I aflix my signature rods adapted to be fixed in given positions, in presence of tWo Witnesses.

the crossing or point of intersection of said GUSTAVE LARSON. rods being at all times below the center of Witnesses:

gravity of the gate, substantially as de- RALPH W. HUNTINGTON,

scribed. AUGUST VIDAL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

